Solemn meeting of the Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences dedicated to Victory Day

On May 4, 2025, a solemn meeting dedicated to Victory Day was held at the Institute of African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It congratulated the current employees of the Institute who had lived through the war, honored the memory of African scholars who directly participated in it, and presented several reports reflecting the role of African countries in the Second World War. The event was moderated by Andrei Aleksandrovich Tokarev, Senior Research Fellow, PhD in Historical sciences, head of the Centre for Southern Africa Studies, reserve colonel, participant of military operations in Angola, member of the Council of the Union of Angolan Veterans.

The opening speech was delivered by Irina Olegovna Abramova, Doctor of Economics, Professor, Director of the Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, member of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

“Victory Day is an amazing holiday. Every Russian family has heroes who took part in the Great Patriotic War. Unfortunately, there are fewer and fewer veterans every year, and our task is to make sure that people who have not been in contact with them keep the memory of the war and our great Victory alive.

I recall many stories of my grandmother, who was a siege survivor, and retell them to relatives, friends, colleagues and, especially, young people, as this should never be forgotten. My grandfather was a radio operator on a submarine and defended the sea approaches to Leningrad. Unfortunately, he died in 1943. The war has passed through all our families, and we must remember that the Russian people are the victorious people.

Our employee, Nikolai Andreev, is now in the zone of a special military operation, defending the country, continuing the work of his grandfathers and great-grandfathers. I correspond with him periodically; he is doing well. And, I would like to note that during each dialog with Nikolai I feel proud that our young generation still has the desire to defend their homeland”.

Next, Alexei Vasiliev, Dr. Sc. (Hist.), Professor, Honorary President of the Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

“I myself am from Leningrad, and when the war started, I was only two years old, this event was not imprinted in my memory. Our family then had time to leave for the Volga region. However, I distinctly remember returning from this evacuation, when the blockade was lifted, I remember the periods of hunger that were at that time. My relatives never liked to talk about the war, only once a year they put on orders and medals - exactly on May 9. We should never forget those who fought in the war.’’